Thursday, June 19, 2008

Pink Snow


The crepe myrtle tree is on the side of our house. I don't know the name of the variety, but we call it pink snow because that's what it looks like with the tree and the ground covered with pink flowers. The flowers in the lower right hand corner are pentas for the hummingbirds and butterflies.

Just thought you'd like to see something pretty for a change.

21 comments:

  1. I LOVE crepe myrtle. Not much of it here in New York.
    Those bushes are magnificent! I'll bet that you never cut them back. We had a large mimosa tree in the front yard that we never cut back. Every summer it was full to bursting with those little pink pom pom blossoms. Alas! it is no more. It perished in a record ice storm in 1982.

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  2. Counterlight, we do cut them back on occasion, because they encroach, but they come back nicely. We have another near the back door.

    Ruth, they are not fragrant.

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  3. When I come over I'll take a cutting.

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  4. Gosh, you must keep it well fertilized. I have three in my yard and they're nowhere near this spectacular.

    Crepe myrtle is a very slow-growing tree, DP, so I'd get started as soon as possible. 30 years or so for a good looking tree for your retirement.

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  5. This tree is 25 years old. We have other crepe myrtles of a darker shade of pink, almost red, blooming, but none of the others is as spectacular as the two of this variety.

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  6. Quite stunning! I wish I could grow crepe myrtle on Long Island but it simply wouldn't survive the winters (although someone did tell me that deep roots would survive amd "come back" each year.)

    As a matter of interest, here's the latest gardening blog I am really enjoying: Gardening while Intoxicated.

    http://martagon.blogspot.com/

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  7. That's a spectacular one, Mimi. It looks like the branches are bent over from the weight of the flowers.

    They're putting on a show for us over here right now too. I can never decide which color I like the best.

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  8. Indeed! Not something I will ever see up here. As is, only one peony has come out and the poppies are just blooming.

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  9. That is gorgeous- splendid and amazing!

    And BTW Mimi, I see something pretty here every single day, such beauty is found in a photo of your lovely countenance.

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  10. Who knew my tree would be such a hit! It is lovely. It stands right outside the window where I sit for too damned much of the day at my computer. It would come in the window if we'd let it.

    Fran! You make me blush, love.

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  11. Gorgeous!

    Are you sure it will grow over there, DP? I think it takes _warm_ humid weather. :-)

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  12. Lapin, Grandpère never fertilizes the trees, as they do not need it. They flower better without nitrogen.

    Susan, DP, yes they grow well in a warm, humid climate, but they are also drought-resistant.

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  13. That is the second prettiest thing I have seen here. I am sure grandpere agrees.


    FWIW
    jimB

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  14. Jim, thanks. Y'all are going to make me cry.

    Grandpère says that I'm not a bad looking woman for my age. I'll take that. He's not given to effusiveness.

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  15. Very beautiful indeed Mimi and it sets off your house nicely too.

    I clicked on the photo and it is sensational enlarged!

    We have two in our back yard. Both very large. We inherited them and very pleased to. Most people cut them back but our two were allowed to form a large canopy and we have left them at that. One is pink, like yours, and the other a darker pink. Being winter here they have gone through flowering and have lost their leaves!

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  16. Boaz, we planted the crepe myrtles when we built the house, along with two oak trees, which are now quite large. One oak was already here, and we changed the placement of our house to save the oak. Although our neighborhood is only 30 years old, the trees are huge, and they make the area look much older than it is. Our property was once part of a sugar cane farm, so there were no trees at all when the development was started.

    It's strange to think that it's winter in the southern part of the globe.

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  17. Lovely tree! Thanks for sharing the photo.

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  18. I don't think Yorkshire, even in its wildest dreams, does warm and humid.

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